1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable document storage device that includes large and small filing wallets which may be utilized together or separately from each other. The smaller wallet has release able fasteners near the upper edge of its back cover that are detachable from corresponding fasteners near the upper edge of the front cover of the larger wallet. The closure flap of the larger wallet encloses the smaller wallet within the larger wallet when the smaller wallet is attached to the larger wallet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
At present, portable document storage devices, such as filing wallets, are designed to accommodate documents of different sizes. A relatively large filing wallet, for example, may be fabricated so as to accommodate full size sheets of paper, such as paper measuring 8xc2xd by 11 inches. This size is widely utilized in the United States and Canada. On the other hand, it is sometimes more convenient for a smaller wallet to be utilized to store or transport folded sheets of paper, such as letters, business checks, and other smaller papers.
At present, individuals that travel frequently must either store business papers within a wallet or a folder of an inappropriate size, or keep track of more than one wallet or filing folder. Also, smaller sized wallets, although very convenient for portability purposes, often become misplaced when briefcases and articles of luggage are packed and unpacked. Consequently, a person may inadvertently fail to bring a smaller size business filing wallet to an important meeting or presentation.
The present invention provides a convenient system for storing and transporting documents in filing wallets and pouches of different sizes, yet also provides a means for attaching such devices together and transporting them as a unit. More specifically, the system of the present invention employs two detachable filing wallet devices of different sizes. Both wallets are configured to have expandable pockets created by side panels folded from top to bottom with accordion folds. The user is thus able to compactly store documents within the collapsed filing pockets in the wallet of appropriate size for ease and convenience in transporting a plurality of different size documents. When the user wishes to withdraw the documents from the file, the expandable sides of the expandable wallet filing devices allow the top openings of the wallets to be spread wide, so that the user can easily find particular papers or other articles within the wallet.
The smaller or minor wallet of the invention may be formed as a pouch having a back cover, a front cover, and a folding closure flap. At least the back cover and closure flap are formed from a common sheet of stiff, but flexible protective material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene plastic. An articulated fold delineates the back cover from the folding flap of the small or minor wallet. A plurality of small file section dividers separate the contents of the small wallet into suitable filing categories. The small wallet may be closed by folding over the closure flap from the top of the back cover to cover the front cover. Some closure device, such as an elastic loop attached to the folding flap near its free edge may be utilized to hold the small or minor wallet closed shut.
Release ablefasteners, such as flexible hook and loop interchangeable fastening pads sold under the registered name Velcro(copyright), or metal snap fastening devices, are provided to allow the small wallet to be attached to a larger wallet of similar construction. The detachable fasteners on the back cover of the small wallet are positioned for selective engagement with corresponding fastening members on the front cover of a larger expandable folding wallet. The release able fasteners allow the two wallets to be united together in a fully detachable manner for ease of transport. Furthermore, the engage able attachment feature aids in preventing the small or minor wallet from becoming lost or misplaced, since it is attached to and enveloped within a filing device of considerably larger size. Nevertheless, the smaller wallet may be completely detached and removed from the larger filing wallet, if desired.
In one broad aspect the present invention may be considered to be the combination of a large filing wallet with a small filing wallet. The large filing wallet has a large front cover and a large back cover, both having a top and a bottom. A large folding flap is joined to the top of the back cover in articulated fashion. The large folding flap is foldable over the top of the large front cover and unfordable to expose the top of the large front cover. Release able large front cover fasteners are located on the large front cover.
The large filing wallet is further comprised of a plurality of large file section dividers having opposing mutually parallel, large divider upper and lower edges and opposing, mutually parallel opposite large divider side edges oriented perpendicular to the large divider upper and lower edges. The large file section dividers are coupled to each other and to the large front and back covers with accordion folding pleated connections. The lower edges of the large file section dividers are closed, thereby forming a plurality of file pockets having dimensions of at least 8.5 by 11 inches between the large file section dividers and the large front and back covers.
The small filing wallet has a small front cover and a small back cover, both having a top and a bottom and both of which have dimensions of less than 8.5 by 11 inches. A small folding flap is joined to the top of the back cover in articulated fashion. The small folding flap is foldable over the top of the small front cover and unfordable to expose the top of the small front cover. Release able small back cover fasteners are located on the small back cover and are engage able with the large front cover fasteners located on the front cover of the large filing wallet.
In another broad aspect the invention may be considered to be a portable document storage device that includes: a large portable file folder, a pouch smaller than the large portable file folder, and detachable fasteners. The large portable file folder is formed of a large file base sheet upon which a large back file cover and a large foldable file flap are delineated. The large portable file folder also includes a large front cover and a plurality of large divider sheets. These large divider sheets have open upper edges and closed lower edges, as well as opposing side edges. The large divider sheets are disposed between the large front and back covers and are joined to each other and to the large front and back covers by a plurality of accordion folding pleats along their side edges.
The smaller pouch is formed of a pouch base sheet upon which a back pouch cover and foldable pouch flap are delineated. The smaller pouch also includes a front pouch cover having a top, a bottom, and opposing sides. A plurality of pleats at the bottom and opposing sides of the pouch front cover join it to the pouch back cover.
The detachable fasteners are comprised of members located on the large front cover and mating members located on the small pouch back cover. The detachable fasteners release ably join the large portable file folder and the smaller pouch together. The smaller pouch can thereby be attached to and carried enveloped within the large portable file folder. Alternatively, it may be completely detached therefrom and used independently from the large portable file folder.
In still another aspect the invention may be considered to be a wallet assembly comprising: a major document filing wallet; a minor document filing wallet; and release ably engage able fasteners for detachably coupling the major and minor wallets together. The major document filing wallet is formed of a first major base sheet folded to define a major wallet back cover having a top, bottom, and opposing sides, and a major wallet flap joined to the major wallet back cover at the top thereof. The major document filing wallet also includes a major wallet front cover having a top, bottom, and opposing sides. The bottoms of the major wallet covers are joined to each other by major wallet bottom closure means. Opposing major wallet side panels are each folded into a plurality of accordion pleats and joined to the sides of the major wallet covers to permit the major wallet covers to be collapsed toward each other and expanded away from each other. Major file dividers are located between the front and back covers and are fastened to the major wallet side panels at separate ones of the pleats therein. The provision of the major file dividers thereby creates a plurality of separate file pockets between the front and back covers.
Similarly, the minor filing wallet is formed of a first minor base sheet folded to define a minor wallet back cover having a top, bottom, and opposing sides. A minor wallet cover flap is joined to the minor wallet back cover at the top thereof. The minor filing wallet also includes a minor wallet front cover having a top, bottom, and opposing sides. The bottoms of the minor wallet covers are joined to each other by minor wallet bottom closure means. Opposing minor wallet side panels are each folded into a plurality of accordion pleats and joined to the sides of the minor wallet covers to permit the minor wallet covers to be collapsed toward each other and expanded away from each other. Minor file dividers are located between the minor front and back covers and fastened to the minor wallet side panels at separate ones of the pleats. The minor file dividers thereby create a plurality of separate file pockets between the minor wallet front and back covers.
The release ably engage able fasteners are located on the major wallet front cover and the minor wallet back cover. These fasteners may be engaged so that the minor wallet may be attached to the major wallet and enveloped between the major wallet front cover and the overlying major wallet cover flap. Alternatively, the release able fasteners may be detached from each other so that the minor wallet may be utilized independently from the major wallet.